Whooping Cranes dependent upon wetlands
The whooping crane is the tallest and one of the rarest birds in North American. It is dependent upon wetland habitat and the results of habitat loss and hunting diminished the population to less than 20 cranes by 1941. The United States is home to more than 330 wild whooping cranes, some of which have been documented using Natural Resources Conservation Service, (NRCS) conservation easements across the central United States.
Conservation efforts by private land owners
Conservation efforts on private lands by farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners have played a critical role in the survival of the whooping crane. Together, they have created more than 6.7 million acres of prime wildlife habitat through Working Lands for Wildlife, (WLFW). The voluntary restoration and protection of wetlands is important in enlarging the habitat footprint available to the whooping crane and many other species. Wetland easements across the country provide a migratory corridor for the wild whooping crane population from North Dakota to Texas. These wetlands – big or small – serve as rest stops for cranes headed south.
Learn how you can create Whooping Crane wetland habitat
To learn more about how you can create wetland habitat on your property, Friends of the Wild Whoopers, (FOTWW) published an article last month showing you how easy it is. You can read “Whooping Crane Stopover Ponds/Wetlands Plans” here as well as download a printable graphic of the plan.
To read the article “Through Conservation, America’s Agricultural Producers Can Put a Bird on Working Lands” by Amy Overstreet, Natural Resources Conservation Click here.
***** FOTWW’s mission is to help preserve and protect the Aransas/Wood Buffalo
population of wild whooping cranes and their habitat. *****
Friends of the Wild Whoopers is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.
What is the most recent news about the killings in Texas this Spring?
Thx
In the latter part of May, Trey Joseph Frederick pled guilty to one count of a Class A misdemeanor for the taking of a Whooping Craned under the ESA. In pleading guilty, he waived his right to a trial by jury and will be sentence at a later date. A pre-sentencing report will be prepared by the Federal Probation Department in Beaumont, TX. Hopefully, we’ll know something soon because the report was to be completed within three month upon the date of he pleading guilty.